Tire chain



July 15 1924.

1,501,763 E. l. FISHER TIRE CHAIN Filed June 22. 192s @Honing PatentedJuly 1.5, 1924.

UNITED STATES ERNEST I. FISHER7 OF GEORGE, IOWA.

TIRE CHAIN.

Application filed June 22, 1923. Serial No. 647,054.

To all whom t may concern:

Be it known that l, ERNnsT l. Fier-mn, a citizen of the United States,residing at ieorge, in the county ot Lyon and State ot' Iowa, haveinvented certain new and useizull improvements in Tire Chains, of whichthe following is a specification.

rlhis invention relates to tire chains and has for an object to providea chain with improved means Jfor securing the chain in operativeposition upon the tire.

further object of the invention is to provide a tire chain havingtriangular links with a tension exerting latch for exerting tension uponthe chain to properly position the chain relative to the tire and tolatch in conjunction with the triangular link in such manner as to besecure against displacement relative to the structure.

`With these and other objects in view, the invention comprises certainnovel parts, elements, units, combinations, constructions,interconnections, mechanical movements and functions, as disclosed inthe drawings together with mechanical and functional equivalents thereotwill be hereinafter more fully described and claimed.

In the drawings:

Figure 1 is a view in side elevation ot a fragment of a tire with thechain applied thereto showing the latch in closed position and sideelevation. K

Figure 2 is a plan view ot the chain spread out showing the latches. oneupon either side in dierent stages oit latching or unlatching.

Figure 3 is a view in elevation ot the latch on an enlarged scale, shownin latched position.

Figure 4t is a view in enlarged scale ot the latch shown in unlatchedposition.

Like characters oi reference indicate corresponding parts throughoutYthe several views.

The improved tire chain which forms the subject mat-ter of thisapplication comprises a plurality of cross chain sections 10 extendingover the curvature of the tire and spe vcically forming no part of thepresent invention, but the invention being capable of adapting itself toany form of cross chain.

The invention comprises a plurality of triangular links 11 connectedwith the cross chains by bringing the ends of thelwire from which thelinks are formed together and forming loops 12. It will be notedespecially from Figures 1 and 2 that the triangular links 11 extendlaterally upon one side of the continuation ot' the cross chain 10, theother side being substantially in alignment therewith. Upon the lesserextended side a bend 13 is provided tor the engagement of connectinglinks 14 which are preferably Jformed ot' single strands of Wire or thelike with double loops 15 formed as coils at their ends, embracing thewire of the triangular loops 11 and dseated in the bends 13. f v

At the extremities of the chain, which are to be united tor the purposeof applying the chain to the wheel, links 16 are attached to thetriangular links 11 at the loop 17. @ne or more oit such links 16 may beunited in series according to the size of the wheel and the tensiondesired. The latter one of said links is adapted to co-act with thelatch 18. The latch 18 is provided with an eye 19 loosely engaging thetriangular loop at one extremity ot the chain and at the opposite end isprovided with a retaining coil having an extremity 20, approximatelyparallel with the shank of the latch and connected by an oval coil 21.

The latching extremity comprising the end 20 and the loop 21 areproportioned to be inserted through the extreme link 16, as shown atFigures 1 and 2, and at Figure 4 the relation ot the latch and link areshown in position ot release or the position about to be connected forthe purpose of applying to the chain.

lVith the device shown with. the parts as shown at Figure L1, the link16 is slipped over the locking extremity until it engages against the:shank ot the latch 18 whereupon the latch is swung over to the positionshown at Figure 3, exerting tension upon the link 16 as will beapparent. This position having been acquired to the extent shown at thebottom of FigurepQ, the eye 19 of the latch is moved upwardl along thestraight side of the triangular vlink 11 until the latching extremitywill slide through the narrow part of the triangular link as shown atthe bottom of said Figure 2. The latch extremity is then Jforced throughthis link and to the position shown at the top in Figure 2 whereupon` byexertion in the opposite direction it is caused to snap over the base ofthe triangularlink 11 to the position shown at Figure 1. Oecupying thisposition, the eye 19 again slides back into engagement Witl the curveA13 and prevents unlatcliing ot the device.'

That I claim to be new is: l. A tire chain comprising a plurality ofCross chains terminating at their opposite ends in triangular' links,means connecting some of said triangular links to form conn tinuousparallel side chains; a latch member secured .to kthe Atriangular linkat one terminus of each side `chain and slidable relative toguonje sideof its said triangular link and latching against another Aside, and alink carried by the opposite terminus of the same side lchain,proportioned to embrace and co act with said latch.l I u l 2, A tirechain .comprisinga plurality of cross chains .,liaying their extremitiesprovided with triangular linke, the bases oi which are substantiallyperpendicular .to the length of Said cross chains, links connectingsaid'trianguflar.,links Ltouiv'orm substantially parallel side chains, alatch having an eye embracing one of the sides of one of the terminaltriangular links and having a` locking extremity proportioned to beforced through an angle of said terminal link onlyv Whenthe leye hasbeen moved away from its normal position, and a link carried at theopposite terminus of the respectire side chain proportioned to embraceand co-act with said latch.

3. A tire chain comprising connecteduside chains having at one of theirextremities each a triangular link7 a latch having at one endlan eyeembracing a side o'llsaid triangular-link and at itsopposite end aV coilproportioned to be forced tlirongli the angle of the triangle oppositethe eye of the latch and only when the latch has been raised abovenormal position, and to return to normal po sition to embrace a side ofsaid triangular link.

In testimony Whereot` l al'lix n'ly signature.

ERNEST I. msnen.

